It was not Mrs Knight’s, but an A B C school, to which Dorry and John now went. Marianne used to be always making sand-pies in front of her mother’s house, and Katy, who was about five years old, often stopped to help her. Over this mutual pastry they grew so intimate that Katy resolved to adopt Marianne as her own little girl, and bring her up in a safe and hidden corner.

She told Clover of this plan, but nobody else. The two children, full of their delightful secret, began to save pieces of bread and cookies from their supper every evening. By degrees they collected a great heap of dry crusts, and other refreshments, which they put safely away in the garret. They also saved the apples which were given them for two weeks, and made a bed in a big empty box, with cotton quilts, and the dolls’ pillows out of the baby-house. When all was ready, Katy broke the plan to her beloved Marianne, and easily persuaded her to run away and take possession of this new home.

‘We won’t tell papa and mamma till she’s quite grown up,’ Katy said to Clover; ‘then we’ll bring her downstairs, and won’t they be surprised? Don’t let’s call her Marianne any longer, either. It isn’t pretty. We’ll name her Susquehanna instead – Susquehanna Carr. Recollect, Marianne, you mustn’t answer if I call you Marianne – only when I say Susquehanna.’

‘Yes’m,’ replied Marianne, very meekly.

For a whole day all went on delightfully. Susquehanna lived in her wooden box, ate all the apples and the freshest cookies, and was happy. The two children took turns to steal away and play with the ‘Baby’, as they called Marianne, though she was a great deal bigger than Clover. But when night came on, and nurse swooped on Katy and Clover, and carried them off to bed, Miss O’Riley began to think that the garret was a dreadful place. Peeping out of her box, she could see black things standing in corners, which she did not recollect seeing in the day-time. They were really trunks and brooms and warming-pans, but somehow, in the darkness, they looked different – big and awful! Poor little Marianne bore it as long as she could; but when at last a rat began to scratch in the wall close beside her, her courage gave way entirely, and she screamed at the top of her voice.

‘What is that?’ said Dr Carr, who had just come in, and was on his way upstairs.

‘It sounds as if it came from the attic,’ said Mrs Carr (for this was before mamma died). ‘Can it be that one of the children has got out of bed and wandered upstairs in her sleep?’

No, Katy and Clover were safe in the nursery, so Dr Carr took a candle and went as fast as he could to the attic, where the yells were growing terrific. When he reached the top of the stairs, the cries ceased. He looked about. Nothing was to be seen at first, then a little head appeared over the edge of a big wooden box, and a piteous voice sobbed out:

‘Ah, Miss Katy, and indeed I can’t be stayin’ any longer. There’s rats in it!’

‘Who on earth are you?’ asked the amazed Doctor.

‘Sure I’m Miss Katy’s and Miss Clover’s Baby. But I don’t want to be a baby any longer. I want to go home and see my mother.’ And again the poor little midge lifted up her voice and wept.

I don’t think Dr Carr ever laughed so hard in his life, as when finally he got to the bottom of the story, and found that Katy and Clover had been ‘adopting’ a child. But he was very kind to poor Susquehanna, and carried her downstairs in his arms, to the nursery. There, in a bed close to the other children, she soon forgot her troubles and fell asleep.

The little sisters were much surprised when they waked up in the morning, and found their Baby asleep beside them. But their joy was speedily turned to tears. After breakfast, Dr Carr carried Marianne home to her mother, who was in a great fright over her disappearance, and explained to the children that the garret plan must be given up. Great was the mourning in the nursery; but as Marianne was allowed to come and play with them now and then, they gradually got over their grief. A few months later Mr O’Riley moved away from Burnet, and that was the end of Katy’s first friendship.

The next was even funnier. There was a queer old black woman who lived all alone by herself in a small house near the school. This old woman had a very bad temper.